I tried all sorts of things to convert MKV to MP4 and, like you, I found Handbrake to be good, but incredibly slow.

I then found Subler, which, rather than re-encoding, simply remuxes the video & audio. This can convert an MKV into an Apple TV2-ready MP4 file in a few minutes. It's not terribly intuitive (recommend reading the online manual at http://code.google.com/p/subler/wiki/UsingSubler ) but this is worth trying.

Elgato's Turbo.264 HD is faster and simpler to use than Handbrake. Handbrake produces slightly better quality conversions, but the difference is so marginal is not worth the additional time and complexity, IMO.

I tried all sorts of things to convert MKV to MP4 and, like you, I found Handbrake to be good, but incredibly slow.

I then found Subler, which, rather than re-encoding, simply remuxes the video & audio. This can convert an MKV into an Apple TV2-ready MP4 file in a few minutes. It's not terribly intuitive (recommend reading the online manual at http://code.google.com/p/subler/wiki/UsingSubler ) but this is worth trying.

Elgato's Turbo.264 HD is faster and simpler to use than Handbrake. Handbrake produces slightly better quality conversions, but the difference is so marginal is not worth the additional time and complexity, IMO.

elgato turbo : has a hardware accelerator that worked well on macs up through g4 maybe g5 in terms of a speed boost (offloaded the encoding to the turbo h.264 device). however .... the biggest boost is that its software uses very watered down h.264 options which make the settings very fast. Basically iirc in a nutshell using the same settings on a C2D mac ... elgato vs. HB (again "Same Settings") the HB x264 encoder was as fast or faster just using the c2d's cpu. Any setup better than a c2d hb (x624) is faster again, same options and therefore quality.

iVI uses the HandBrake CLI for h.264 encoding (albeit an older one than HB 0.9.6) therefore ... same settings .... at best a wash on speed vs. quality.

IFlicks, not really sure in terms of transcoding.

Subler: Written by one of the best HB devs ritsuka. Fantastic but does not transcode video. But is a fantastic remuxer.

Any of these programs (besides HB) when it is just remuxing (remixing the video and audio track into a new container) is *much* faster than actually transcoding video (which is what slows HB down as its only a transcoder, not a remuxer).

*If* you can be sure your MKVs Video and Audio tracks are compatible for the device you want (atv3, iPad 3, etc etc.) and *just* need to be in an mp4 container ... then just remux via subler ,etc. it will be much faster than actually re-encoding the video.

If you want to re-encode the video and properly sync it to the audio and have it compliant for sure (including framerates and decombing any combed frames). There is no shortcut. And I can GUARANTEE you that all settings being equal there is no faster h.264 encoder than x264 used in hb. ... and yes, that definitely includes any QuickTime based encoders.

elgato turbo : has a hardware accelerator that worked well on macs up through g4 maybe g5 in terms of a speed boost (offloaded the encoding to the turbo h.264 device). however .... the biggest boost is that its software uses very watered down h.264 options which make the settings very fast. Basically iirc in a nutshell using the same settings on a C2D mac ... elgato vs. HB (again "Same Settings") the HB x264 encoder was as fast or faster just using the c2d's cpu. Any setup better than a c2d hb (x624) is faster again, same options and therefore quality.

iVI uses the HandBrake CLI for h.264 encoding (albeit an older one than HB 0.9.6) therefore ... same settings .... at best a wash on speed vs. quality.

IFlicks, not really sure in terms of transcoding.

Subler: Written by one of the best HB devs ritsuka. Fantastic but does not transcode video. But is a fantastic remuxer.

Any of these programs (besides HB) when it is just remuxing (remixing the video and audio track into a new container) is *much* faster than actually transcoding video (which is what slows HB down as its only a transcoder, not a remuxer).

*If* you can be sure your MKVs Video and Audio tracks are compatible for the device you want (atv3, iPad 3, etc etc.) and *just* need to be in an mp4 container ... then just remux via subler ,etc. it will be much faster than actually re-encoding the video.

If you want to re-encode the video and properly sync it to the audio and have it compliant for sure (including framerates and decombing any combed frames). There is no shortcut. And I can GUARANTEE you that all settings being equal there is no faster h.264 encoder than x264 used in hb. ... and yes, that definitely includes any QuickTime based encoders.

There really is no better transcoder/remuxer/metadata tagger combo out there than Handbrake/Subler. Believe me, I've tried most of them and all of the ones mentioned above (a few multiple times, thinking I just did not get it). And on top of that, both are free and easy to use.

There really is no better transcoder/remuxer/metadata tagger combo out there than Handbrake/Subler.

Click to expand...

Well, its quite possible. Realize this, ritsuka is a HB dev, did a lot of work on HandBrake and when the project decided to stop scope creep at massive tagging and remuxing and concentrate on its best attribute, encoding ... ritsuka was good enough to fill in the blanks as it were with a small but wickedly powerful app of his own ... Subler. It originally picked up where HB left off (though HandBrake does have chapter title capabilites) with advanced subtitle muxing (hence the name) but as he went on and with some input from others (including other HB devs) it became *much* more than a subtitle muxer. Including phenomenal tagging and remuxing almost any mkv track into a *compliant* mp4. Both Subler and HandBrake user the libmp4v2 muxer for mp4's. Subler kind of takes off where HB leaves off. As it were.

Any of these programs (besides HB) when it is just remuxing (remixing the video and audio track into a new container) is *much* faster than actually transcoding video (which is what slows HB down as its only a transcoder, not a remuxer).

*If* you can be sure your MKVs Video and Audio tracks are compatible for the device you want (atv3, iPad 3, etc etc.) and *just* need to be in an mp4 container ... then just remux via subler ,etc. it will be much faster than actually re-encoding the video.

If you want to re-encode the video and properly sync it to the audio and have it compliant for sure (including framerates and decombing any combed frames). There is no shortcut. And I can GUARANTEE you that all settings being equal there is no faster h.264 encoder than x264 used in hb. ... and yes, that definitely includes any QuickTime based encoders.

Apple devices in general cannot playback DTS audio. Most MKV's found in the wild have DTS. Depending on the IOS device (atv3, iPad3, Ipod Touch, Iphone) they will all playback h.264 video ... but ... that does not mean at the "level" that is found in your MKV. So, basically if your want to just remux (remix) the existing audio and video into a new mp4 container ... you must take your chances or know what the tracks are in your source ahead of time and know that they will work for your target device/platform.

Or you can transcode (encode) it so you know it will work.

Most advanced users can tell but still it can get tricky. Depends on what your source is and where it comes from.

Pretty much a subject for another thread. I painted with *very* broad strokes.

If all tracks of the MKV file are Apple TV-ready, then Subler could be your solution. If you need anything else*, then I've found MP4Tools to be excellent.

What should I look for to be sure my MKV files are ATV2 ready? Can I analyze the MKV file using a Media Info program?

A.

* Anything else: You need a DTS audio track to be converted to AC-3. You need to add an AAC track to go with the existing AC-3 track. You need to do both of the above, etc.

Click to expand...

That's where my dilemma begins. When I work in MP4 Tools, and I load up a MKV, in the audio section, the PASS-THRU selection turns Red (and the program recommends you DO NOT choose this option). Should I be choosing AAC (5.1) or AC3 (5.1)?

When I work in MP4 Tools, and I load up a MKV, in the audio section, the PASS-THRU selection turns Red (and the program recommends you DO NOT choose this option). Should I be choosing AAC (5.1) or AC3 (5.1)?

First of all, remuxing with MP4Tools should only take a few minutes, so a little experimentation on your part should not be out of the question.

I generally build for Apple TV, so first I make sure that I choose Apple TV in the Device pulldown.

If you load up a movie with a DTS audio track and choose audio pass-thru, that selection is going to turn red because the Apple TV can't play it. Choose AC3 (5.1) and check the box that says 'add 2-Ch. Track', as the Apple TV expects a 2-channel AAC track at a minimum, with an optional AC3 track.

Likewise, if you load up a video track that the Apple TV can't play, then video pass-thru will be red (in this case I would revert to Handbrake because I understand its transcoding abilities). The MKVs that I have created in the past have all had video compatible with the Apple TV so I've always used pass-thru.

In the end, your goal is to always use pass-thru if you can and never transcode unless you have to. Sometimes, especially with audio, there's no avoiding it.

Thanks to the OP, and thank you to those who contributed. I just tried Subler and while I have to agree with dogbertd, it makes mkv to mp4 conversion a walk in the park! For roughly a 1:30 hour file on my MBA it took me a half hour, and now it takes mere seconds.

You wanna walk in the park? Get the latest iFlicks. Ever since ATV3, I haven't re-encoded anything. Just throw in an MKV to iFlicks and it'll re-mux it super fast. It's got awesome tagging and 1080P tag support as well. Much faster and stabler than Subler. Subler is superior when you want to get into the nitty gritty which I seldom do.

I mean, iFlicks will take any XVID AVIs and remux them without re-encoding if you like!

I'm new to this stuff too and still don't know what all of the technical stuff is but what works for me is simple. Remux with Subler and test it on my Apple TV. If that didn't work, I run it through handbrake. Then sometimes I can't change metadata on a file in iTunes without a crash and corruption so in that case I'll use Subler again for metadata changes.

First of all, remuxing with MP4Tools should only take a few minutes, so a little experimentation on your part should not be out of the question.

I generally build for Apple TV, so first I make sure that I choose Apple TV in the Device pulldown.

If you load up a movie with a DTS audio track and choose audio pass-thru, that selection is going to turn red because the Apple TV can't play it. Choose AC3 (5.1) and check the box that says 'add 2-Ch. Track', as the Apple TV expects a 2-channel AAC track at a minimum, with an optional AC3 track.

Likewise, if you load up a video track that the Apple TV can't play, then video pass-thru will be red (in this case I would revert to Handbrake because I understand its transcoding abilities). The MKVs that I have created in the past have all had video compatible with the Apple TV so I've always used pass-thru.

In the end, your goal is to always use pass-thru if you can and never transcode unless you have to. Sometimes, especially with audio, there's no avoiding it.

A.

Click to expand...

Pretty much my process as well. If I'm ripping from blu-ray, I generally rip with MakeMKV and dump the rip into HB as I prefer a more manageable file size for use with TV, iPad, or iPhone. Otherwise, remuxing with MP4Tools is a breeze. FWIW, I prefer iDentify for my tagging--also super simple and very quick, especially for entire TV seasons.

iVl is by far the best as it helps with Meta-Data, and also, if you are using true 720/1080 MKV files then enable Pass-Through and conversion is instant with no quality loss! i love iVl and couldn't recommend it enough

You can rip Blu-rays on a MAC? I thought MACs didn't support Blu-rays. Man am I out of it. I am assuming you need some kind of external burner? What are people buying and using these days?

Click to expand...

Macs don't natively play Blu-Rays, but yes, with an external drive and a program like MakeMKV, you can rip a BD to an MKV file and play in on the Mac, encode it to put into iTunes and play on ATV, etc.
Here's the drive I bought a couple months backhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B004ZCHULQ/ref=aw_d_cr_electronics?qid=1334723673&sr=8-7
Note: Any negative reviews are mostly from people who thought they were buying a drive that would play BDs, not simply one that reads them.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.